With the European Alps in our backyard, Japan is unlikely the first destination that springs to mind when planning a ski holiday. However, Lindsay Colbert from Japan Ski Experience begs to differ and gives her hot take on why Japan during the cold months is first on her list when it comes to skiing and snowboarding. Spoiler alert: it is well worth the long-haul trip!
I live in Germany within easy driving distance of some of the world’s great glaciers and best known ski resorts. But with Europe’s Alps so close, why do I feel so lukewarm about taking my family skiing there? The short answer: I used to live in Japan.
This has probably already conjured up images of riding through deep powder snow... Japan’s snow credentials are so well known that I will use most of this article to talk about other great things about skiing in Japan, but to summarise why the snow is so good, cold weather from Siberia turns moisture over the Sea of Japan into the light, dry powder that dreams are made of. It then falls over the Western side of Japan in quantities greater than snow falls just about anywhere in the world. This combination of quality and quantity is what makes Japan the powder mecca that it is, and conditions are so consistent that visiting over peak season may provide the closest thing there is to a guarantee of epic snow.
But as a lover of travel and with 3 young children, deep powder is actually not the main reason I want to take my family skiing there (at least not this year!). So what else does a Japan ski holiday have going for it that would make me fly my family 6 thousand miles rather than drive a few hours to a much closer ski resort?
One major reason is the conditions on the ski runs. With Japan’s most popular resorts less busy than European resorts, you can forget the kind of crowds you are used to. If having the mountain to yourself is a priority, it is worth heading to the lesser known ski resorts of Hakuba such as Iwatake and Tsugaike, the powder havens of Rusutsu and Kiroro or the family friendly resort of Furano where kids ski for free! Quiet runs not only means enjoying your turns without worrying about other people, it also means that pistes don't turn into mogul runs by mid morning, and the immaculate grooming you experience first thing can often last until the end of the day. The most likely thing to change is a foot of light dry powder on top! Once you get used to these kinds of conditions, it can be hard to go back to bumping shoulders, and skis, with the masses.
Niseko, Hokkaido, at dusk with the ski lifts still in operation for night skiing
Not only are Japanese resorts quieter, but they offer a great variety of terrain. With hundreds of ski resorts dotted around the country, you can ski different types of resorts on different days while basing yourself in a single area such as Hakuba’s Echoland. Accessible off-piste also means that one resort can offer different things for different people, from gentle groomers for kids and beginners, to steep tree runs for expert riders, and a lot in between. You may have heard that off-piste is not allowed in Japan with Niseko being a rare exception but resorts catering to international visitors have changed their attitudes to off-piste dramatically over recent years, providing a great deal of choice for riders who want to get into deep powder. And if you haven’t had enough by the end of the day, then many resorts provide the chance to ski at night with Niseko Grand Hirafu for example offering some of the best night skiing in the world. This is an incredibly peaceful and exciting way to explore the mountain, and is particularly recommended for getting fresh tracks pretty much to yourself!
Whichever ski resort you choose, one thing that Japanese mountains have in common is the kind of geothermal activity that produces natural onsen or hot-springs. From a private onsen in your accommodation to hotel baths and outdoor rotenburos, there is no way to unwind after a day on the slopes like soaking in a natural hot spring. Saunas are great, but snow falling on your head as you soak in hot spring water, taking in the surreal beauty of the mountainous scenery around you is so much better! And hot springs are also highly therapeutic, providing medical benefits such as increased blood circulation, pain relief, and better sleep.
Intuition Niseko accommodation with a view of Mount Yotei, Hokkaido
If you are looking to treat yourself, Niseko accommodation and Hakuba accommodation options in major resorts provide more opportunities than ever before including magnificent chalets, comfortable lodges, exclusive penthouses, affordable townhouses and more. For a true Japanese immersion, ryokan style Hakuba hotels could be the perfect fit, or for an ever increasing choice of pure luxury, condominium style Niseko hotels are hard to beat. For the ultimate Japan ski in ski out accommodation, Aya Niseko, The Maples, Niseko Hilton Hotel, The Vale Niseko and The Vale Rusutsu provide stunning examples. For classic Japanese ski hotels with their own private hot-springs, Hakuba Tokyu Hotel and Hakuba Mominoki are among the most popular. Whatever you are looking for, with the right advice, you are sure to find it.
Hakuba Hifumi accommodation with a private onsen
Another huge reason I can’t wait to get my family to Japan is of course the culture. The language, the food, the bright lights of Tokyo, the incredible hospitality, the bullet trains, the castles, the snow monkeys and the local festivals will all provide my family with an experience that no ski holiday anywhere else could rival. Those unfamiliar with visiting Japan may feel slightly unnerved, but there may be nowhere that is safer than Japan or where people are more willing to help a traveller in need.
For those wanting to explore, ski holidays provide the perfect opportunity for excursions to places like Jigokudani monkey park to watch snow monkeys bathe in natural hot-springs as they have for generations. Other great day trips from Hakuba include Nagano’s zenkoji temple, Matsumoto Castle and Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival.
If you are visiting Hokkaido you might like to coincide a visit with the Sapporo Snow Festival which is a great day out for the family. Adding a few days in Tokyo to the beginning or end of your trip is a fantastic way to experience some of the best of Japan without going out of your way. Tokyo has everything you could imagine, from historic backstreets, to buzzing skyscraper districts, sumo wrestling, kabuki, temples, shrines, amazing restaurants, Japanese gardens, electronic districts, extreme fashion crazes, mesmerising street performances and far more, all with Mount Fuji providing a majestic backdrop.
The view from above of Odori Park in heart of Sapporo city where the Snow Festival is held.
Food is a huge draw for many visitors. For the more adventurous, the list of delicious options is endless, and for those who like home comforts, there are many staples at hand, together with a wide variety of Western options. Sushi (which always includes vegetarian and children’s options), ramen, yaki soba, Japanese curry and pork tonkatsu are all round easy pleasers that taste better and cost less in Japan than they do at fine Japanese restaurants abroad.
Nagano soba served with tempura
In major ski resorts there will be a wide range of choices and menus will be available in English. These guides featuring Hakuba restaurants and Niseko restaurants provide an idea of the huge range on offer. Local convenience stores also provide options that range from from traditional rice balls and Japanese style ready meals to hilarious interpretations of western food such as curry filled donuts and strawberry and cream sandwiches. If you are looking for quirky, you have come to the right place!
And no visitor to Japan should be afraid to try out the language. When I lived in Japan my 9 year old sister visited and learned a few phrases. She had so much fun using them, and seeing the pleasure on people’s faces when she tried to do so, that 20 years later she still greets every Japanese person she meets with ‘yoroshiku onegai shimasu’. Trying to speak the language is a great way to make the most of interactions with local people and experience Japan’s world renowned hospitality.
A parent and child skiing on the snowy slopes of Japan
The last thing to remember is that you never need to feel out of your depth. You will find that local people can never do enough to help, and you may well find that getting lost or losing belongings only makes for a better adventure! If you book with specialists like Japan Ski Experience, you will get help picking the ski resort and accommodation that best suits your group and you will be assured of all the assistance you need when you travel. I can’t wait to experience the best of skiing in Japan with my young family, and show them everything it has to offer, both on the mountain and off. It will be magical, from beginning to end.
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